OnePlus Buds 3 leak makes me want the £49 CMF Buds Pro even more

It seems as if OnePlus is set to launch a new pair of true wireless in-ears and, thanks to a image and specifications leak, we have a fair idea of what to expect.

The OnePlus Buds 3, as they are allegedly called, will definitely fit into the budget category but might struggle for attention, especially with CMF by Nothing Buds Pro having launched recently for a mind-bogglingly low price of £49 / $49.

The latest venture by former OnePlus CEO and founder of Nothing, Carl Pei, could well provide the best budget earbuds yet, so the new pair from his previous company will have to go some to compete. Sadly, according to the leak, that might be a difficult ask.

Looking at the renders, which were released by OnLeaks in co-operation with MySmartPrice, it seems OnePlus will up the ante when it comes to the finish on the Buds 3 – they appear as if they'll have a metallic effect on the outer casing.

They also borrow from the company's own higher-end Buds Pro 2 when it comes to design. They are said to be lighter, however, at 4.77g each.

According to the source, the Buds 3 will be come with a 10.4mm woofer and 6mm tweeter in each ear. They will also support 48dB active noise cancellation.

The in-ears will be water and dust resistant, with an IP55 rating, while the charging case will be protected from the elements too - rated at IPX4.

We should also find Bluetooth v5.3 and Google Fast Pair support on board, plus battery life of up to 33 hours including the charges in the case. Each bud will last for 6 hours with ANC switched on, it is claimed.

That's all par for the course when it comes to budget ANC earbuds, so the biggest question hangs over their price.

Sadly, OnLeaks hasn't revealed availability or pricing details yet, but if you look at OnePlus' currently-available headphones and we can't imagine these launching for less than £69 (the initial price of its cheaper OnePlus Nord Buds 2).

It makes the CMF by Nothing Buds Pro seem an even bigger bargain, especially as they feature almost like-for-like spec.

We'll have to wait for the OnePlus Buds 3 to become official before we can really tell though.